Direction indicator



Sept. 13, 1932. w. HEERTSCH 1,877,506

DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed Oct. 24. I930 "III XIIIHIIII" HH I INVENTOR VV/LL Y f/EERTSCH ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 13, 1932 j UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICEV WILL'Y HEEBTSGH, OF ERFURT, GERMANY mnncrron INDICATOR Application filed October 24, 1980, Serial No. 490,870, and in Germany September 25, 1930.

This invention relates to a direction indicontact is closed, so that in the arrow, the cator, especially for motor cycles. walls of which are-transparent in known Direction indicators for motor cycles are manner, a lamp is illuminated and a perfect known, which are so constructed that an arworking of the indicator is ensured in the row indicator casing is fastened beside each dark. As the arrow casing is fastened'cranehandle on the inner side of the handle bar. like only on the inner ends of the handles, a \Vhen operated, the arrow indicator swings hindrance of the hands is absolutely imposoutwards so that it stands horizontally at sible. right angles to the arrow indicator casing. An embodiment of the invention is illus- Direction indicators of this type are open to trated by way of example in the accompany an the objection, that the indicator is covered by ing drawings in which: the hand on the handle or by the arm so that Fig. 1 shows the direction indicator seen in operative position it cannot be seen from from the inner side, partly in section, on the vehicles following up. As a signal visible to handle bar on the left side in inoperative pofollowing vehicles is necessary for the absosition. e lute safety of traffic, the indicators of this Fig. 2 is a top plan view in longitudinal type do not fulfill their purpose. section of Fig, 1.

The direction indicator according to the Fig. 3 shows the direction indicator in rear invention is absolutely visible in operative end view. position from the front as also from the Fig. 4; shows the direction indicator arrow In rear. It projects in operative position, as is in extended .position'in longitudinal section. the fundamental condition for a motor cycle Fig. 5shows in perspective view'the direcdirection indicator, beyond the outermost tion indicatorin operative position on the lateral points of the vehicle. These points handle bar.

are on each side the outermost ends of the An indicator arrow 6 is oscillatably mounthandles on the handle bar. The direction ined in an arrow casing c. The oscillation of the dicator according to the invention is so conarrow is effected by a rack f, which engages structed, that the arrow casing is fastened with bolts g,arranged concentrically arouni' crane-like on the inner side close to the hanan axis (5 of the arrow 6. On the rack j".

dies in horizontal position extending outwhich is accommodated in the arrow casing 0, so

wardly and approximately flush with the a bolt i is arranged, which projects outwardouter ends of the handles. The operation of ly through a slot 6. The bolt-i engages a lever a lever arranged directly on the arrow casis mounted on a pivot c (Fig. 1). If, when ing and to be easily reached with a finger of the arrow is not extended, the lever 75 ismove-rl the hand on the handle in question, without towards the right, the rack f participates in so it being necessary to remove the hand from this movement so that the bolts g engage susthe handle, causes the direction indicator cessively in the tooth gaps h of the rackv. arrow mounted on the outer end of the arrow The arrow 6 is thus swung outwardly so that casing to swing out upwardly from the casit projects'towards he side:

ing through an arc of 180 over the handle The lever 70 is held in its two extreme posi- 9H 7 of the handle bar so that it is in the opposite tions by a spiral spring m. fixed at one end or. position as in the inoperative position. As the bolt 2' andat the other end on the arrow the arrow can in no way be screened in this casing c. The fastening of the spring'm on position by thehand or the arm, it is clearly the bolt i-prevcnts at the same time the lever h visible from the rear, so that the indicator in from jumping off the bolt i. In order to this novel construction entirely fulfills the cushion the arrow e, when it is swung inrequireme-nts. wards, a pad of rubber or similar material By a sudden lever pressure the indicator is is arranged in the casing c. In order to cushagain returned into the arrow casing. Durion the arrow when swinging out, a pad 10 ing its swinging out 'movement an electric is provided in the casing 0 (Fig.1 For the purpose of illuminating a lamp 8 in the arrow provided with transparent walls at, when this arrow is swung outwards, and to keep said lamp burning when the arrow is in swung out position, a contact is closed in this position between a bolt 9 arranged insulated in the arrow 6 and connected to one pole of the lamp 8 by a wire 1 and a metal blade spring p secured on the bottom of the arrow casing by an insulated bolt 0. The contact spring 0 is connected to one pole of a battery by means of a cable n, whereas the connection with the other pole and the lamp 8 is effected in known manner through the mass. In order for the lamp 8 to be resiliently mounted in the arrow 0, it is secured by means of a rivet on the arrow frame with the aid of a bow Z. If it is desired to change a lamp 8, which has become defective, the wall of the arrow in ques tion is removed by unscrewing the nuts 3 so that the wall can be lifted out and its point a: easily pulled out of the clip of the'counter wall. The arrow casing c is secured to the handle bar by a metal rod 2 arranged vertically thereon engaging with a clamping screw, which is arranged on the clip 1) surrounding the handle bar. By this arrangement it is possible, when fitting the indicator to easily bring same into the proper position according to the shape of the handle bar.

Owing to the fact that the indicator arrow in the inoperative position as also in operative position lies horizontally, it is supported in both instances by the arrow casing, so that a wearing of the supporting parts through vibration and the like is absolutely avoided.

V I claim:

1. A direction indicator for motor cycles, comprising in combination, a crane-like horizontally extending arrow casing, open at the top, and having a slot in its outer wall, an arrow within said casing, an axis for said arrow, said axis being fixed to said casing bolts arranged concentrically around said axis, on said arrow, a rack within said casing, said rack engaging said bolts and effecting the oscillation of said arrow, a bolt on said connecting rod projecting through the slot in the wall of said casing, a pivot on the outside of said casing, a control lever mounted on said engaging said last named bolt, and a, spiral spring fastened at one end to said bolt and at the other end to said casing adapted to secure said control lever in both controlling posi- Moms.

2. A direction indicator for motor cycles as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with the arrow casing and the arrow, a rod arranged perpendicularly to said casing at the opposite end to that at which said arrow is oscillatably mounted, a clip adapted to surround the handle bar of the motor cycle and fix this indicator in position through the intermediary of said rod.

3. A direction indicator as specified in l/VILLY HEERTSCH. 

